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SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Toronto Blue Jays drafted a tall, athletic pitcher with their first pick of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. Sound familiar? The Blue Jays selected right-hander Phil Bickford with the 10th overall pick Thursday. The 17-year-old right-hander from Oaks Christian High School in California is six-foot-four, 200 pounds, and can throw a 96 m.p.h. fastball that Torontos director of amateur scouting, Brian Parker, says is polished. Bickford led his high school club to its division championship, where he struck out 18 batters in the final, including 11 in a row. Bickford finished his senior season with a 1.72 earned-runs average, allowing 44 hits and recording 159 strikeouts in 99.1 innings. "Were very excited about this kid," Parker said on a conference call. "Hes got one of the best fastballs in the draft. Hes an athletic kid and were all very excited to get this guy going." Blue Jays scouts seem to have an eye for rangy pitchers of late. Toronto has drafted 11 pitchers measuring six-foot-four or taller since 2007. "I think its something we look for," Parker said. "I think athleticism is something we focus on with pitchers, especially high school kids. Those are the types of frames and athletes were looking to get into our rotation." Parker said that Bickfords fastball is good enough for professional baseball right now, but the other pitches in his repertoire need development. "We think the secondary stuff is developing," Parker said. "We think the changeup is the better (secondary) pitch right now, but we think he has the chance to have a pretty good breaking ball." Bickford has a commitment to NCAA Division I school Cal State Fullerton, but Parker doesnt see that as an obstacle to getting him signed. "Almost every high school kid out there has a college commitment," he said. "Thats kind of the territory that we have when we take high school guys." It hasnt always worked out for Toronto, however. The Blue Jays drafted six-foot-four right-hander Tyler Beede out of high school in the first round of the 2011 draft even though Beede had a commitment to Vanderbilt University. The Blue Jays and Beede couldnt bridge a sizable gulf in negotiations over a signing bonus, and Beede elected not to sign. Brandon Morrow Jersey . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Fergie Jenkins Jersey . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. https://www.cheapcubs.com/840t-carlos-zambrano-jersey-cubs.html . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. Brad Wieck Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Bill Buckner Cubs Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. Visiting South African apprentice Callan Murray has landed a winner at his fourth race ride in Australia.Indentured to South African trainer Mike De Kock, Murray is having a stint in Australia before coming a fully fledged jockey.Murray guided the Lindsay Park-trained debutant Strictly Legit to victory in a 1000m maiden race at Mornington on Tuesday.Last seasons champion apprentice in South Africa, Murray had two rides at Flemington last Saturday, finishing a close second aboard La Speciale.ddddddddddddm really excited to get on the board here, Murray told broadcaster racing.com.The hospitality has been great from Lindsay Park and Im really grateful for their support.Murray rides Barjeel at Sandown on Wednesday for the Lindsay Park team and returns home to South Africa in the middle of next month. ' ' '